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Say it like it is. Don't hold back any shots.

Sunday, November 30, 2008

Apocalypse Now 1979

Say it with a sting.....

Apocalypse Now (1979)page 1 of 1 "This is the end… my only friend, the end." Or perhaps more accurately: the beginning of the end. Jim Morrison’s lines intoned over the opening sequence of Apocalypse Now hint at the trip that is to follow: a journey to the end of a river, to the end of civilisation, to the end of sanity.

The Vietnam War has been covered in films in any number of ways in the past few decades. What sets Francis Ford Coppola’s 1979 masterpiece apart is that the film doesn’t use war itself as the focal point of the plot. The typical war movie tropes of brothers in arms, courage under fire, and never-say-die patriotism are given short shrift in this sprawling, beautiful mess of a picture. This film explores nothing less than the sweaty, rotting, dank jungles of the mind.

The script of Apocalypse Now is loosely based on Joseph Conrad’s novel Heart of Darkness. The book narrates a steamboat trip up a river in the Congo into the uncharted African hinterland. There they will find the mysterious Mister Kurtz, who has set himself up as a demi-god to the native inhabitants. In John Milius’s script, transplanted to the jungles of Vietnam and Cambodia, Kurtz (Marlon Brando) is a renegade colonel from the US Special Forces who has become a warlord surrounded by an army of deserters and Cambodian tribespeople. "Marlon Brando, after threatening to pull out, eventually arrived on set drunk, unprepared and 40kg overweight"

This self-styled philosopher king is conducting sorties against the Viet Cong, but isn’t too picky about who gets massacred in the process. Unable to control him, military intelligence sends Captain Benjamin Willard (Martin Sheen) to terminate him – "with extreme prejudice".

Willard is a troubled, drunk, shell-shocked wash-out in the opening scene of the movie. He only emerges from his drunken stupor long enough to register that he is still in Saigon. Unfit for civilian life and unravelling mentally, he accepts the mission with nothing to lose. After meeting up with his swiftboat crew, he heads up the river on a journey into the black depths of his soul.

It’s a journey that is harrowing for the viewer, too. At 153 minutes in its original cut, it’s a pretty lengthy work and takes some dedication from the audience to stomach the ride. When the extended cut of Apocalypse Now: Redux was released in 2001, it had been stretched to an exhausting 202 minutes. That said, it’s worth every queasy, unnerving minute. While the film holds up as a modern masterpiece on its own, it is also a fascinating case study of filmmaking at its chaotic, combustible worst – and ultimately, best.

Coppola was besieged by self-doubt as he worked his way into the project, and constantly rewrote scenes on the fly. In a case of life imitating art, it turned into a logistical and mental hell. The planned six-week shoot stretched into 16 months plagued by typhoons, helicopters being recalled to fight an actual insurgency in the Philippines, and troubles with his actors.

After two weeks of filming Harvey Keitel as Willard, the actor was fired to be replaced by Martin Sheen. Marlon Brando, after threatening to pull out, eventually arrived on set drunk, unprepared and 40kg overweight. He hadn't even read the script. After the legendary actor and the director spent days squabbling over single lines, they eventually decided to shoot Brando ad-libbing his ponderous, philosophical musings while keeping most of his body in the dark to hide his bulk. And the result is mesmerising.

Coppola’s troubles with his actors were far from over. Martin Sheen suffered under the strain of taking on the role of assassin to such a degree that he had an emotional breakdown on camera. The opening scene of the film, where he lurches around in a hotel room in a naked drunken stupor, punching a mirror and cutting himself, and collapsing in a weeping, bloody mess, was shot exactly as it happened. He then suffered a major heart attack, and came close to dying in the jungles of the Philippines.

The stupendous background to the film is all documented by Coppola’s wife Eleanor, in her tell-all documentary Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker’s Apocalypse. Unbeknownst to her husband, she recorded their personal conversations during the making of the film, and we are given a voyeur’s glimpse into Coppola’s descent into near-madness. He agonises about the pretentiousness of his work, rants about the information that is being leaked back to the Hollywood press, and, on more than one occasion, wishes to kill himself. He lost 45kg during the filming of Apocalypse Now. And all this from the superstar director fresh off The Godfather Parts I and II.

After two years of editing, the film was finally released to incredible critical acclaim. Moments jump off the celluloid and get lodged in your memory: Robert Duvall as Colonel Kilgore, the surfing afficionado who rains hell on a village while Wagner’s "Ride of the Valkyries" blares from the chopper speakers – and who utters the immortal line, "I love the smell of napalm in the morning." Dennis Hopper’s drug-addled photographer, which we see is not, in fact, far from his real personality. And Marlon Brando’s chilling recognition of "The horror… the horror."

Apocalypse Now marked one of the last films to be made during the Golden Age of the Hollywood Auteurs. Wildly over budget, irresponsibly made, and unflinchingly brutal, you couldn’t imagine seeing live buffalo being hacked to death in any contemporary American film. But then again, I don’t think Hollywood has reached the high-water mark of this classic many times since.

Whether seen in the extended Redux version (where, in my opinion, the French Plantation scene slows down the pace too much) or in the original, tighter cut, this is one film that won’t leave the viewer unmarked. Like Willard’s journey into the jungle, like Coppola’s struggle to give birth to his art, you’ll emerge from Apocalypse Now as a somewhat changed person.

- Finn Gregory

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Saturday, November 29, 2008

SPRINGBOK DAY 1st DECEMBER 2008

Saturday, November 29, 2008UNOFFICIAL SPRINGBOK DAY MONDAY 1 DECEMBER 2008

Rugby's coporate sponsors and its hallowed symbol the Springbok came under fire from delegates at the first day of a two-day National Sports Indaba held in Durban on Thursday.

Sports Portfolio Committee chairman Butana Komphela told delegates that "the Springbok divides us. We have a responsibility to unite our country on one national emblem"

"Minister, I want you to observe the arrogance of white people on the Springbok emblem," he said.

Komphela said that there could be "no negotiation" on the Springbok emblem.

When the floor was opened to the delegates, many speaker called for a resolution removing the Springbok emblem to be passed as soon as possbile.

Sports minister.Makhenkesi Stofile said: "My view is that emblems are not matters of life and death."

He said that his view was that there should be one national emblem, which all sporting codes would endorse. Komphela said that the Sharks rugby franchise's failure to wear "Say no to racism" on their jerseys was nothing but "rampant racism" on the part of Mr Price. "Dealing with the legacy of apartheid cannot be dealt with by market forces," he said.

South African Rugby Union (SARU) chief executive Johan Prinsloo said that he could not participate in the debate on the emblem as he had not been authorised to do so and the Springbok emblem had not originally been on the agenda of the Indaba.

According to the sports ministry the main purpose of the indaba, among others, is to develop an integrated national strategy in order to accelerate the implementation of the national sports development agenda.

The indaba will focus on the number of critical topics such as "Politics, sport, transformation and excellence and access to resources".

Earlier in the day SA Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (Sascoc) president Moss Mashishi said the country's poor Beijing Olympic results need to be examined without "stones being thrown at each other". He said the "painful lessons of this experience need to be examined soberly rather than be used an opportunity to throw stones ateach other".

South Africa's able-bodied athletes only managed one silver medal --their worst result since being readmitted to the international sporting fold.

In contrast the country's paralympians a month later enjoyed their best Paralympics to date, raking in 30 medals, including 21 golds, to finish sixth on the medals table.

Mashishi said that "now that we have given the big powers such as the Russians a fright we should put more resources into the team". Referring to the sports funding from the national lottery, Mashishi questioned why the control of those funds were not within the sporting fraternity.

An area that needed to be cleared up was the relationship between federations and school sport. "It's an area that is grey and hazy," he said.

Springbok.Com

Comments by Sonny

We must force the politicians to keep politics out of sport and sport out of

politics.

The Springbok emblem has been in South African history longer than any serving

politician.

They cannot handle their political obligations, how can they handle sport.

Let the World know that we will never give up the Springbok for any politician alive

or dead.

Long live our emblem "THE SPRINGBOK!"

Let's all wear our "SPRINGBOK" on our left chest on Monday 1st December with pride

South African Tourism Minister Marthinus van Schalkwyk announced on Tuesday that he was prepared to facilitate talks between SA Tourism and Match, the company tasked with arranging ticketing and accommodation for the 2010 World Cup.

SA Tourism chief executive Moeketsi Mosola said on Monday at the 7th Annual National Tourism Conference in Johannesburg that SA Tourism was quitting the Match advisory board because Match had attempted to "bully" smaller Bed and Breakfast establishments and independent hotels into dropping prices.

In a statement released on Tuesday afternoon, Van Schalkwyk said: "I understand that all parties involved have strong feelings about the matter. I believe we all have a responsibility to make sure South Africa's hosting of 2010 is a success."

Van Schalkwyk said that he had had "telephonic discussions about the issue with all the parties" on Tuesday morning.

"As soon as all role-players are available, I will convene a meeting to clear the air.

"I am confident that with good communication between the parties we will be able to resolve the matter," he said.

The Business Day newspaper on Tuesday quoted Mosola as saying: "Match, which is tasked to arrange accommodation and transport for 2010, is in effect a tour operator.

"Therefore, when Match started to use its powerful position to bully the rest of the industry, we could not be seen as being part of these tactics when we are mandated to serve the entire industry.

"It compromised our impartiality and I wanted to send a message to the industry that we are on their side."

Fifa media officer Delia Fischer said the first Fifa heard of SA Tourism's decision to quit the advisory board was through the media.

"We were taken by surprise by his remarks at yesterday's (Monday's) tourism conference," said Fischer.

Fischer said that SA Tourism had attended more than 50 workshops as a part of the Match advisory board and through all the meetings SA Tourism representatives had never raised any such concerns.

She declined to respond to his comments, saying that "Match has to follow up on with SA Tourism on the nature of the problem."

She said that the advisory board's aim was to ensure that accommodation establishments received a fair price and that fans paid a fair price.

Fifa aims to have 55 000 precontracted rooms for the tournament and Match AG is the company appointed by Fifa to provide ticketing, accommodation and event information technology services to Fifa for the Fifa Confederations Cup South Africa 2009, 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa, the Fifa Confederations Cup 2013 and the 2014 Fifa World Cup.

Match, based in the Swiss city of Zurich, is a joint venture of two professional service companies: Byrom Plc - based in Manchester, United Kingdom - and Eurotech Global Sports AG - based in Appenzell, Switzerland.

Fischer said the advisory board includes representatives of SA Tourism, South African Airways, the Tourism Grading Council of South Africa, Safa CEO Raymond Hack, the CEO of SA's 2010 World Cup organising committee Danny Jordaan, the Federated Hospitality Association of South Africa, the country's environmental affairs and tourism ministry as well as the sports ministry.

Sapa

Comments by Sonny

Is this the beginning of the end to the FIFA World Cup 2010? Posted by Sonny Cox at 9:25 AM 0 comments Links to this post Labels: Will SA host the FIFA World Cup 2010. Obama takes Whitehouse

Congratulations to President Barack Obama.

The American people have spoken.

If no improvements are made on World peace now, then this planet is...... ready to

Holding onto her slain husband's wedding band attached to a neckpiece, Van Heerden sat quietly in the court, constantly shaking her head as advocate Tumelo Ntshwane argued in mitigation of Mweli's sentencing.

Van Heerden's husband, Frederick Jacobus van Heerden was among the four police officers gunned down during a bloody shootout with armed robbers in Jeppestown two years ago

"I submit these are serious charges... but sentencing should not be used to destroy the life of the accused. At 29 he is still young," Ntshwane told the court.

He said Mokgoatlheng should also consider the fact that Mweli has already spent two years behind bars.

Mweli was last week convicted on charges of aggravated robbery and attempted murder.

The judge had initially erred and convicted him on further charges of murder.

Although he rectified this mistake an hour later, this issue became a matter of contention during arguments on Tuesday morning.

Advocate Robin Stranscham-Ford, who was standing in for Ntshwane at the time, said Mokgoatlheng had acted unconstitutionally in convicting Mweli on charges he was never charged with.

"There were irregularities... the defence doesn't accept that this was a mistake, in so doing the Judge pre-judged the matter. The judge went beyond convicting him and that is unacceptable," Stranscham-Ford said.

He said they would take the matter up with the appeals court after Judge Mokgoatlheng denied prejudicing Mweli and dismissed an application by the defence to have him acknowledge that on record.

This followed a special application by the defence to have Mokgoatlheng "enter on record irregularities made".

Democrat Barack Obama and Republican John McCain face the verdict of United States voters on Tuesday after a long and bitter struggle for the White House, with Obama holding a decisive edge in national opinion polls.

At least 130-million Americans are expected to cast votes on a successor to unpopular Republican President George Bush and set the country's course for the next four years on the economic crisis, wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, an overhaul of healthcare and other issues.

The first polls begin to close in parts of Indiana and Kentucky at 11pm GMT on Tuesday. Voting ends over the next six hours in the other 48 states.

Obama (47) a first-term senator from Illinois, would be the first black US president. Opinion polls indicate he is running ahead of McCain in enough states to give him more than the 270 electoral votes he needs to win.

A victory for McCain (72) would make him the oldest president to begin a first term in the White House and make his running mate Sarah Palin the first female US vice-president.

McCain, an Arizona senator, embraced his role as an underdog and says he is gaining ground on Obama. He finished a cross-country tour of seven states in his home state of Arizona in the wee hours of Tuesday morning as he tried to pull off the biggest upset in recent political history.

"It's wonderful to be home," McCain said in Prescott, reminding the crowd of the state's record of bad luck in getting Arizona candidates elected to the White House.

"Tomorrow, we're going to reverse that unhappy tradition and I'm going to be the president of the United States."

Obama was the winner in Dixville Notch, New Hampshire, the tiny town that traditionally opens presidential voting right after midnight. He gained 15 votes to McCain's six, becoming the first Democrat to win there since Hubert Humphrey in 1968.

Both candidates hammered their campaign themes in the race's final hours, with Obama accusing McCain of representing a third term for Bush's policies and being dangerously out of touch on the economy.

"When it comes to the economy, the truth is that John McCain has stood with President Bush every step of the way," Obama told 90 000 supporters at his final campaign rally in Manassas, Virginia, a state Democrats have not won in a presidential election since 1964 but where Obama leads.

McCain, whose campaign has attacked Obama as a socialist and accused him of being a "pal" with terrorists, portrayed him as a liberal who would raise taxes.

'The far left lane’"He's in the far left lane of American politics and he's stuck there," McCain said in Blountville, Tennessee.Opinion polls show Obama ahead or even with McCain in at least eight states won by Bush in 2004, including the big prizes of Ohio and Florida. Obama leads comfortably in all of the states won by Democrat John Kerry in 2004.

Breakthrough victories in any of those traditionally Republican states -- including Virginia, Colorado, Indiana and North Carolina -- would probably propel Obama to the White House.

He took command of the race in the last month as a deepening economic crisis reinforced his perceived strengths on the economy, and in three debates where his steady performance appeared to ease lingering doubts for some voters.

Democrats are also expected to expand their majorities in both chambers of Congress. They need to gain nine Senate seats to reach a 60-seat majority that would give them the muscle to defeat Republican procedural hurdles.

That would increase pressure on Democrats to deliver on campaign promises to end the war in Iraq, eliminate Bush's tax cuts for the wealthy and overhaul a healthcare system that leaves 47-million Americans uninsured.

It was a bittersweet last campaign day for Obama. He choked up in North Carolina when talking about the death of his grandmother, Madelyn Dunham, who helped raise him. Obama, who learned earlier in the day of Dunham's death from cancer in Hawaii, called her a "quiet hero".

Both presidential candidates planned more campaign stops on Tuesday. Obama will vote at home in Chicago and travel to Indiana to help get out the vote. McCain will visit Colorado and New Mexico.

Turnout could decide the outcome, and both campaigns revved up multimillion-dollar operations to identify supporters and get them to the voting booth.But as many as one-third of US voters have cast their ballots early. Obama aides were encouraged by reports of heavy Democratic turnout in early voting in key states like Colorado, North Carolina and Florida.

Reuters

(President in waiting) Senator Barack Obama, you may look stressed.

In two day time you would have earned your rest.

It's time to define a new "Global Policy" for peace on Earth. Posted by Sonny Cox at 3:41 PM 0 comments Links to this post Labels: Land of the free USA. Government by Deception ( ebook)

Government by Deception (eBook) By Jan LamprechtGovernment by Deception - Psychopolitics in southern Africa - Why South Africa could become another Zimbabwe

This is the book that nobody believed could be true. It has since had the most successful track record of predictions of any political book ever written in South Africa. Readers comment that even in 2007, it is as if it were written yesterday!

The book touches on many aspects of life in South Africa, but with a psychological warfare emphasis. It describes guilt as a racial weapon. It predicted many things which have since come to pass. It was probably the first book to discuss crime in S.Africa as a clandestine war against Whites. Its predictions about Zimbabwe have been borne out, including the chapter, The Marxist Brotherhood. In that chapter it was predicted that Mugabe's evil would spread and that other African countries would support him. In 2007, the world was stunned when the 14 SADC countries supported Mugabe in his "war against the Western world!"

Included in the book are chapters on propaganda, Semantic warfare and The Whites' Last Stand - the final battle for South Africa!

This book examines the many frightening parallels between the ANC (African National Congress) which rules South Africa and ZANU(PF) which rule Zimbabwe. Their background, ideology, etc are explored in depth.

It includes interviews with ex-ANC operatives as well as former white military and intelligence people. It contains much information you will never see anywhere else.

Click here to read book reviews and comments about this book.

Reader reviews in 2007:-Reader: Your Weird Book Government by Deception still valid in 2007S.Africa: Reader: I read Government by Deception TWICE!Reader: I read Government by Deception...This book is 316 pages long. Posted by Tango at 12:30 PM 1 comments Links to this post Labels: Crime in South Africa "We will kill " ? Police seeks help from SAHRC

Anger over 'shoot to kill cops'03/11/2008 10:38 - (SA)

Sydney Masinga

Badplaas - Badplaas police have asked the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) for help after accusing an ANC councillor and member of the Young Communist League (YCL) of inciting their members to "shoot to kill" police officers.

The threat was reportedly made at a Young Communist League (YCL) meeting in Badplaas on October 18 where a memorandum protesting against alleged racism at the Badplaas police station was handed over to station management.

Badplaas police commissioner Charles Marivate said the police had been compelled to ask the SAHRC for protection after YCL secretary Sibusiso Radebe and ANC councillor in the Albert Luthuli local municipality Pro Khoza had explicitly threatened local officers with physical harm.

"I myself was threatened that if I supported my white officers, I would be out of the window. The threats against the other officers were worse," said Marivate.

'Days are numbered'

Two of those targeted by the YCL are deputy inspector Jacobus Vermeulen and Inspector Lucas van Rooyen, who were singled out by name at a large public meeting and told that there "days are numbered".

"During the gathering, the secretary of the YCL started to swear at the station commissioner and other police members, accusing us of not doing our jobs. In front of everyone present, he pointed fingers at Vermeulen and myself, saying our days were numbered because we are racists," said Van Rooyen.

Van Rooyen added that Radebe and Khoza also told the community that white policemen "gaan kak" (will shit) and that "julle broeke gaan vol kak wees" (your pants will be full of shit).

"This incitement needs to be investigated and be stopped. Khoza has only a handful of followers and is disrupting the community's peaceful existence. He also incites attacks on other members of the community," Van Rooyen said.

The two officers' black colleagues agree, with 23 policemen from the Badplaas station signing a petition to the SAHRC asking for an urgent investigation and possible charges against Radebe and Khoza.

The office of acting Mpumalanga police commissioner Rex Machabi has also been asked to do a full scale investigation into the matter.

Police officers 'really racist'

Radebe said the police officers were welcome to complain to the SAHRC.

"These guys are really racist," he said. "We did not say the [ANC Youth League President Julius] Malema thing [shoot to kill]. We only said that we were prepared to lay down our lives for the pre-dominantly farm worker community in Badplaas because they are ill-treated and the police are failing to investigate their cases," he explained.

Radebe said that if white residents of Badplaas did not stop being racist and ill-treating farm workers, "daar gaan kak wees" (there will be shit).

Khoza, denied all the accusations made by the police, but agreed with Radebe that there were racist attitudes towards farm workers in Badplaas.

"There is more going on in Badplaas than what the police are telling you. Someday the truth will come out. I did not say any inciting statements against them, but I would like to appeal for them to take cases of our people seriously," said Khoza.

Complaints 'taken seriously'

The YCL memorandum complains that cases reported by black people against whites were not taken seriously and not investigated properly. They also accuse the station commissioner of calling Khoza stupid.

The YCL demands that all racism related cases be investigated by provincial instead of local police to prevent bias.

He said his officers took all reported cases seriously.

"We take all cases reported to us seriously. And, yes, we do get cases of suspected racism reported by farm workers, but our people should understand that we work with evidence and not speculation. If there is no evidence then there is no case," Commissioner Marivate explained.

He said he would not be threatened by anyone who tried to tell him how to treat his staff.

"I was not appointed at the police station by the community members, but by the provincial commissioner. He is the only one who can remove me," he said.

Intimidation

Spokesperson for the provincial police commissioner's office, Superintendent Sibongile Nkosi, said a case of intimidation against Radebe and Khoza is being investigated.

"We are taking these threats seriously and we will investigate this matter to the end. Members of the public should know that there are proper channels that should be followed when they have complaints against the police, it is not right to make intimidating statements like "shoot to kill"," said Nkosi.

Legal officer at the SAHRC in Mpumalanga, Bafana Ngwenya, said they have not yet seen the complaint.

"We think that the complaint might have been sent to our head office in Johannesburg, and we will investigate and respond to it as soon as head office refers it to us," said Ngwenya.

Cops get six state-of-the-art helicopters Graeme Hosken 2008 at 10:15AM

By Graeme Hosken

Criminals, thugs and soccer hooligans beware.

No matter where you are, what time of day or night it is, Big Brother will be watching you.

This was the message by police during the handover of two of the first six state-of-the-art surveillance helicopters handed over to the SAPS by Armscor in Pretoria on Wednesday.

Armscor facilitated the purchase of the helicopters by SAPS from the National Aircraft Company.

The six three-man Robinson R44 Raven II helicopters, which cost R5-million each, will see the amount of time it takes to train police helicopter pilots being reduced from the usual four years to two and a half years.

They will be used as a force multiplier, giving law enforcers the ability to be at crime scenes fast, especially during the 2010 Fifa Soccer World Cup.

Armed with specialised equipment such as infrared imaging systems, searchlights, monitors and special radio systems, the helicopters are specifically designed to help police forces around the world deal criminals a severe blow.

The SAPS currently operates 31 helicopters, and the number is expected to rise above 40 with the anticipated handover of at least five BK117 helicopters from the South African National Defence Force sometime early next year.

The helicopters, which began operating yesterday, were unveiled to newly-appointed Safety and Security Minister, Nathi Mthethwa, and his deputy, Susan Shabangu at the SAPS Air Wing in Pretoria West.

Speaking at the handover, Mthethwa said the new equipment would go a long way in helping curb crime, both before, during and after the 2010 Soccer World Cup.

"This is an important and vital weapon in the war against crime," he said.

Mthethwa said the helicopters would be the eyes and ears of the police. It would help them to see exactly what was happening on the ground and enhance their ability to direct ground forces to where they were specifically needed.

Visible Policing Divisional Commissioner Arno Lamoer, under whose command the Air Wing falls, said the helicopters were vital in the fight against crime.

"Because of these new additions to our fleet, we will be able to train our new pilots at a quicker rate, reducing the training period by 18 months.

"Added to this is the cost of the helicopters which is nearly a fifth of the cost of the BO105 'Squirrel' helicopters currently in use in the police service.

"These helicopters will provide useful aerial support to our ground forces and will be used to dominate those areas affected by crimes such as hijackings and house and business robberies," he said.

He said the new helicopters would be based in Pretoria for the 2010 Soccer World Cup and would be dispatched to areas such as host cities when they were needed.

This article was originally published on page 2 of Pretoria News 2008

Motorists prevent cops from catching robbers

November 03 2008 at 12:42PM

Motorists illegally using the emergency lane on a Johannesburg highway probably prevented the police from catching suspected cash-in-transit robbers on Monday morning, a spokesperson said.

"We possibly could have nailed these people if only the guys could have moved through the traffic," said Superintendent Eugene Opperman.

He said a group of some 17 robbers in three vehicles shot at a cash-in-transit vehicle on the N3 highway near Alberton south of Johannesburg around 9.45am.

"Shots were fired at the cash van and the vehicle was forced off the road," said Opperman.

'Motorists must stay out of the emergency lanes' The men tried to open up the vehicle with explosives but did not succeed.

Meanwhile, police vehicles patrolling the area, about a kilometre from the scene, put their sirens on and tried to speed to the crime scene, but were hindered by motorists illegally occupying the emergency lane.

"There were large queues of vehicles in the emergency lane," said Opperman.

He appealed to motorists and members of the public to assist them in their efforts to fight crime.

A campaign of intensified policing was under way ahead of the Christmas season but even though police patrol vehicles were nearby, they battled to get through the traffic, said Opperman.

"Motorists must stay out of the emergency lanes and help us to get to crimes scenes fast," said Opperman.

The suspected robbers sped off when they heard the police sirens.

Nobody was injured in the incident, no money was taken and no arrests had been made.

Sapa

Comments by Sonny

Is it not possible that motorists moved to the emergency lane to give the police

'through passage' to the crime scene?

Some police should get trained on how to drive properly!

How can two or even seven policemen take on trained gangs of seventeen to eighteen,

armed with AK 47 rifles and explosives?

Who are these organised, trained criminals and where do they come from?

They act on inside information!

Can they possibly be linked to ATM bombings? Posted by Sonny Cox at 7:41 PM Labels: Explosived used on Cash in Transit Heist scene. Competent driving by police. 1 comments: Tango said... Where were the "Choppers"